1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to methods and apparatus for destroying mollusca or gastropoda, herein referred to a snails, and, more specifically, to snail trapping and carcass cleanup methods and snail traps.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Traps for snails and other animals have been proposed, and to a large extent used, for a long time.
For example, French Utility Patent 2,405,615 describes a trap for snails having a cylinder that is formed with closures for its ends and is provided with an edge slit to allow entry of snails. This entrance is covered by thin strips of material that allow entrance into the trap while preventing attempts of snails to exit the trap. A major concern of that French inventor was to preserve the trapped snails for human consumption as escargots. This, of course, presents a problem, if the objective is to destroy the snails, rather than to eat them.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,637, by Eichmuller et al., discloses a snail trap of the type containing a preferably alcoholic liquid that is used as the bait and as the means for drowning the inebriated snails. This generates a cleanup problem, since the drowned snails have to be removed from the trap and have to be disposed of somehow.
This also applies to the fly trap disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,473,538, by R. A. Bakke, in which two plates are spring biased apart and adapted to be forced together by a sharp blow or stroke of the hand. U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,690, by R. W. Ridings, discloses a combined trap and swatter. U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,046, by T. R. McCoy et al, discloses a crushing device that is operated by a windmill.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,586, by L. Burzdak, discloses a bug catcher, as does U.S. Pat. No. 201,916, by W. D. Ensign.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,619 by I. McIlwain, U.S. Pat. No. 1,543,968, by S. H. Williams et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 200,574, by F. Schreiber et al, disclose various traps for rodents and insects. For instance, McIlwain discloses the use of a double container.
All these traps and proposals leave either live or dead animals or insects that have to be disposed of in some manner. In the case of snails, this creates a rather messy and disgusting cleanup problem, so that snail traps are relatively seldom used. In consequence, snail poisons are used a lot, presenting a danger of environmental pollution or, occasionally, a danger to small children and pets.
Moreover, many people have resigned themselves to the lack of an effective and acceptable snail trapping and disposal system, and, in consequence, have simply let their gardens and surroundings go, so that there is nothing important for the snails to get. This, of course, does nothing to improve the neighborhood or to encourage planting of vegetables and flowers, or to promote the maintenance of vineyards and commercial agriculture.
Some promoters have offered comfort to blighted gardeners by selling them so-called "killer snails" which are supposed to eat up the plant-eating snails. However, the ultimate question presents itself, "Who is going to kill the killer snails?"